Metallurgical apparatus.



H. B. FABER.

METALLURGICAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16 I915.

1 ,138,284. Patented May 4, 1915.

r140 WASHINGION. 0. c

" TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. FABER, or BROOKLYN, new YORK. I

METALLURGICAL APPARATUS. ii-.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Application filed Januar re, 1915. Serial No. 2,684.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, HENRY B. Fannie, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallurgical Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertains to make and use the same.

IVhile this invention relates generally to metallurgical apparatus where excessive corrosion occurs incident to galvanic action resultant from contact of dissimilar metals in the presence of dissociating solution, the invention is best illustrated as applied to the rotary type of metallurgical filter, and is, therefore, graphically presented in this form in the specific embodiment selected as representing the preferred physical incorporation of the invention.

The primary object in view is to minimize galvanic action, and a resulting object is the obviation of corrosion incident to contact of dissimilar metals in the presence of dissociating solution.

It is commonly known that practically a1] metals and their alloys are unable to withstand the contact of acids or alkalis. Dissociation of the metallic ion or ions, as the case may be, occurs in varying degrees according to the nature of the solvent. I have found, however, that hard lead, that is, lead alloyed with a little antimony, and commonly known on the market as type metal will Withstand the corrosive action of solvents to a greater extent than any other alloy. Certain bronzes also show a substantial resistanceto the action of dissociating solvent. When, however, bronze and hard lead are caused to contact in the presence of such solvent, galvanic action occurs which has the effect of greatly increasing the action of dissociation. To avoid such galvanic action and its objectionable results, I have found it necessary to prevent contact of such dissimilar alloys or metals as otherwise naturally resist largely the dissociating effect of alkaline or acid solvents. To space the dissimilar alloys or metals by an intervening metal different from either, and of any of the common metals'subject to ionizing in the presence of solvent, would only complicate the problem presented, and I have, therefore, after careful experimentation discovered that by separating hard lead and bronze, for example, by an interposed sheet or lamination of some substantially non-corrosive substance which may serve as an insulator, the galvanic action will be largely or entirely obviated, and I find that tantiron and duriron effectively serve as such insulating'lamination, and at the same time where relative movement occurs between the two insulated bodies such lamination aids in preventing scoring of the contiguous faces of the parts by particles of silicious or other materials working their way between the relatively active surfaces.

A concrete illustration of the application of the principles of the invention is graphically presented in the accompanying drawing in which the figure is a vertical, axial section through the valve and contiguous parts of rotary metallurgical filter.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, 1 indicates the revolving frame of a rotary metallurgical filter of the type in which the preriphery of the rotor is formed into a series of sections of filter surfaces which are successively dipped into the slimes and while so dipped are subject to suction from within. for causing a coating to be built up on the respective filter section and then during the continued rotation, the respective section is 'moved out of the vat of slimes and a blast of air is delivered from within outward for discharging the coating of solids from the filter section. To efiect this sucking and blowing action in proper timed relation, it is common to connect the respective sections through independent tubes with a rotary valve having two departments, one department of the valve being connected with a vacuum pump and the other with a blast pump. In the structure seen in the'drawing's, 2, 2, indicate the pipes leading from the filter sections, the latter being of the common form and not being illustrated. The main shaft 3 of the rotary filter is appropriately journaled in bearings, not illustrated, and carries the rotary portion 4 of the valve, which rotary portion is formed with a port 5 for each tube 2 and with which the respective tube communicates.-

Axially alined with the valve portion 4 is the stationary portion 6 of the valve which is maintained in non-leaking relation to the moving portion of the valve by being pressed axially toward the portion 4 by a spring 7 engaging a stem 8 of valve portion 6, the spring? being maintained tensioned by a bracket 9 fixed to a part 10 of the stationary frame of the filter. A tubular journal 11 finds bearing in the part 10 and is fixed to the valve portion 4 and to the frame 1 for affording support at that side of the filter opposite the bearing of shaft 3. The stationary portion 6 of the valve is surrounded by the journal 11 and is provided with a suction tube 12 which extends axially through the bearing 11 and communicates with a vacuum pump, not illustrated. A similar tube 13 is formed integral with or appropriately connected to the stationary valve portion 6 and likewise extends through the journal 11 and communicates with a source of supply for compressed air such as a compression pump or rotary blower not illustrated. The exhaust or vacuum tube 12 communicates with an arouate port 14 located in the face of the station ary portion 6 and of the required length for maintaining communication with a moving port 5 for the requisite length of time to enable the building of an appropriate coat of slime solids on the filter section during the passage of the respective section through the body of slimes. The tube 13 communicates with a similar port 15 except that port 15 is preferably very short for the blast delivered for removing the coat of solids is required usually to be no more than instantaneous, and in working with some slimes, it is sufficient merely to open the respective tubes 2 to the atmosphere through the tube 13 without the necessity for a blast.

As the construction and operation of a rotary metallurgical filter is already well known and the present invention is adapted for application to any of the common types, the foregoing will be sufiicient without further detail for an understanding of the invention.

Heretofore difficulty has been experienced from ionizing of the parts 4 and 6 and particularly the contacting faces thereof. Difliculty has further been experienced from scouring of the relatively active faces of the valve parts by particles of silicious or other material working between them. To overcome the difficulty incident to scouring of the faces, in the present improved structure, the valve parts 4 and 6 have been formed with faces of different hardnesses, to secure which I have found it desirable to employ diflerent metals for the two difierent parts or different alloys, and for convenience the term metal will be employed hereinafter to include alloys and the appended claims should be accordingly broadly construed.

By employing a dissimilar metal for the part 6 from that of part 4, so that the faces are not of the same hardness, the scouring may be largely overcome, but another difficulty presents itself in the resulting galvanic action from contact of dissimilar metals in the presence of a dissociating solution. I find that certain metals (including alloys) largely resist dissociation in alkaline and acid solvents but where dissimilar metals capable of such resistance are brought in contact, the resulting galvanic action produces rapid corrosion. In the practising of the present invention, therefore, I overcome the difficulties presented by employing parts 4 and 6 of dissimilar metals each resisting to a high degree dissociation in the presence of solvent and then obviate galvanic. action between these parts by the provision of a form of insulator consisting of a sheet or sheets of metal 16 different from either of the metals of parts 4 and 6 and also of maximum capacity for resisting dissociating. In the structure illustrated in the drawing, the sheets 16 are shown as assuming the form of annuli but will obviously be modified in contour to conform to the parts of the structure according to the shape of such parts as may appear in any particular device. For the several parts named I prefer that the valve portion 4 be formed of hard lead and that the valve portion 6 be formed of bronze while the sheet or sheets 16 is or are formed of duriron or tantiron, which are supposed to be ferro-silicates and are in fact ironglass and for facility will be so called hereafter. Other forms of insulators might be substituted for the part 16 and the galvanic action thereby largely obviated, but care must be exercised that the substitute in addition to acting as an insulator possesses the capacity for resisting dissociation and is capable of withstanding the wear of the mov ing parts. Where two of the annuli 16 are employed, as shown, one is preferably embedded in one of the parts of the valve and the other in the other part of the valve so that one of the annuli revolves with its connected part and the other remains stationary but this, of course, is a detail which is not material. Surrounding the part 6 and let radially into the part 4 is a ring 16 which is designed to serve both as a guide for maintaining the alinement of valve part 6 and as a protection against leakage. As the ring contacts with the parts 4 and 6 it is also preferably formed of the same material as the annuli 16.

The operation of the structure will be clearly understood from the foregoing and it will be obvious that the advantage of the use of dissimilar metals is obtained in the present invention without the disadvantage either of dissociation from the mere pres ence of solvent or from galvanic action since the former is taken care of by the nature of the materials employed and the latter is obviated.

What I claim is 1. In metallurgical apparatus, parts formed of such dissimilar metals as are possessed of capacity for largely resisting corrosion in the presence of dissociating solvent, and means for largely preventing galvanic action between the metals.

2. In metallurgical apparatus, parts formed of such dissimilar metals as are possessed of capacity for largely resisting corrosion in the presence of dissociating solvent, and an insulator between the parts largely preventing galvanic action.

3. In metallurgical apparatus, parts formed of such dissimilar metals as are possessed of capacity for largely resisting corrosion in the presence of dissociating solvent, and a sheet of a third metal possessed of capacity for largely resisting dissociation in the presence of dissociating solvent, said sheet being disposed between and preventing contact of the first-named parts and largely preventing galvanic action.

4:. In metallurgical apparatus, parts formed of such dissimilar metals as are possessed of capacity for largely resisting corrosion in the presence of dissociating solvent, and an iron-glass insulator between the parts.

5. In metallurgical apparatus, a part formed of hard lead, a cooperating part formed of bronze, and an insulator between the two parts of a material possessed of capacity for largely resisting dissociating in the presence of a dissociating solvent.

6. In metallurgical apparatus, a part formed of hard lead, a cooperating part formed of bronze, and an insulator of ironglass between the two parts.

7. In rotary metallurgical filters, a valve comprising relatively movable and stationary parts formed of dissimilar metals, each possessing capacity for largely resisting corrosion in the presence of dissociating sol vent, and means insulating said parts from each other for largely preventing galvanic action.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY B. FABER. Witnesses:

WM. H. HARDING, J r., EDWIN S. BELCHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

